Khartoum

Details

Release year: 1966

Storyline

In the Sudan, in 1884 to 1885, Egyptian forces led by British General Charles "Chinese" Gordon (Charlton Heston) defend Khartoum against an invading Muslim Army led by a religious fanatic, Mohammed Ahmed el Mahdi (Sir Laurence Olivier).

Top credits

Awards

0 wins & 1 nomination

Did you know

• Charlton Heston bore a strong resemblance to Major General Charles "Chinese" Gordon, but he was considerably taller than the real Gordon. Heston stood 6ft 3in (1.91m), while the real Gordon was said to have been only about 5ft 5in (1.65m). Heston was also nearly a decade younger than Gordon was at the time of the events depicted in this movie.

• Khartoum (1966) was analyzed by David Levering Lewis in the 1995 book "Past Imperfect: History According to the Movies," edited by Mark C. Carnes. The article notes that producer Julian Blaustein sent a copy of the script to the real-life Mahdi's grandson, who responded that although his grandfather and General Charles "Chinese" Gordon never actually met, "...it's a very fine script." When Blaustein apologized for this error, the grandson replied, "Ah, but Mr. Blaustein, they should have."

• In a book about the making of this movie, it was stated that not one horse was injured in filming. In later years, it was discovered that over one hundred horses were either severely injured resulting in euthanasia, or died immediately due to unethical stunt methods.

User reviews

Technical specs

Sound mix

70 mm 6-Track

Aspect ratio

2.35 : 1, 2.76 : 1

Color

Color

FAQ

• Does the 2022 Sandpiper Pictures Blu-Ray Release of Khartoum Include the Original Scene That Actually Shows General Gordon's Head On a Spear, Or is It Just Another Edited for Tv Version?